Scholastic Bookfiles

by Christopher Paul Curtis

This reading companion is perfect for students, parents, and teachers who have enjoyed and want to know more about Christopher Paul Curtis's award-winning novel, The Watsons Go To Birmingham--1963.

The Watsons Go To Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis is a favorite middle-grade novel. This companion gives backgound on the author, including an interview, questions to guide reading, clues to the story's themes, plot, characters, and setting, a glossary, writing and other activities, and more. If you loved The Watsons, you need this reading companion.

64 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2004

About the author

Curtis was born in Flint, Michigan on May 10, 1953 to Dr. Herman Elmer Curtis, a chiropodist, and Leslie Jane Curtis, an educator. The city of Flint plays an important role in many of Curtis's books. One such example is Bucking the Sarge, which is about a fifteen year old boy named Luther T. Ferrel, who is in a running battle with his slum-lord mother. Curtis is an alumnus of the University of Michigan-Flint.

Curtis is the father of two children, Steven, an ensign in the United States Navy, and Cydney, a college student and accomplished pianist. His third child is expected to make an appearance in 2011. Christopher modeled characters in Bud, Not Buddy after his two grandfathers—Earl “Lefty” Lewis, a Negro league baseball pitcher, and 1930s bandleader Herman E. Curtis, Sr., of Herman Curtis and the Dusky Devastators of the Depression.

Curtis moved to Detroit, Michigan in January, 2009